Graduating in May!

Lindsay Mann · January 28, 2005

Watch it Andino, I'll eat you for breakfast...

-Lindsay MANN

January 29, 2005

I'm in pretty much the same boat as you, but I've had the good fortune of having gone to school in Los Angeles. Are you planning on staying in Boston or moving to one of the coasts?

I suppose either way, the best advice I can give based upon what I'm attempting is, like everyone else said, work on everything you possibly can and start learning things and meeting people. If you have a good attitude and work hard, people will hire you again even if you are a bit inexperienced. Especially as a PA, people will overlook any inexperience as long as you work hard and are easy to get along with. Also, start applying to job listings on websites such as www.craigslist.org and www.mandy.com. Most of the productions on there are small, not of the highest quality and often don't pay anything, but it's at least a way to start getting things to put on your resume/reel and a way to start meeting people. I've met a few people from jobs from those sites that have gotten me recurring paid work and I would say it's worthwhile.

Of course I'm not sure if this is the best route to take, being in your exact situation myself, but it's been working out for me alright so far and I feel like I'm slightly ahead of my game for my age and experience.

oh, and hello everyone, I think this is my first post :)

Lindsay Mann · January 29, 2005

Thanks Tim,

I've pretty much been living on craigslist, and never heard of mandy.com, but i'm gonna check it out. I've checked out shootingpeople.com's NY stuff, but are there any other great sites or places to check for upcoming gigs? I'll check out Mass' film office, and I've looked on newenglandfilm.com, but I pretty much plan to get the hell out of Boston after May. It seems like either NY or LA. Or Philadelphia... what?

January 29, 2005

Those are the only two that I generally use, there's also www.showbizjobs.com but that's mostly for office type work or editing, I don't even check it anymore. Looking back at Mandy.com it seems to, for the USA, mostly center around NY and LA (big surprise) but maybe you'll luck out and find some stuff there. And the stuff I've gotten off of there is generally better than the stuff off craigslist, it just seems a bit more professional. Let us know what your plans are, I'm willing to bet there are people in both places who might be willing to help you out.

Morgan Peline · February 1, 2005

Sorry to go off subject a little...

I wish someone would tell me that sometimes.

Phil,

...You could always try to get in to the NFTS, I guarantee you that there will be an experienced mentor there to give you an honest critique of your work...if the school is as useless as you say, you should be able to get in easily! You don't have to accept the place if they eventually offer it to you.

Go on I dare ya! ;)

Send in an application form and your reel and see if you manage get to the final 3 day selection process. And then if you still think it's a waste of time I won't ever say anything again when you dis some of my teachers.

We shoot on 16mm very often which I know you want to get in to.

....And DigiBeta, HDV, HD and 35mm.

....And we've just ordered an £500,000 telecine machine for the digital post-production course. The intention is that eventually all our final year 35mm films will go through a DI.

We have a fully functional studio, where they used to use shoot features in the 60s, and we have loads of fully professional studio and location lights as well. We also have an in-house gaffer and camera technician who will build you anything you want.

All UK residents get £4000 maintenance grant, whilst many get an extra £2000 to £4000 scholarship to pay for tuition...all you have to do is get in and ask nicely!

At the end of the year, after we've been taught by Brian Tufano BSC our head of studies (Trainspotting, Billy Elliot, East is East, Last Orders and additional photography on Blade Runner), Paul Wheeler BSC and Sean Bobbitt, all experienced cameramen who have shot features and documentaries in the UK and Hollywood (Brian lived and worked in LA for 11 years), we get taught by Billy Williams BSC (Ghandi, On Golden Pond) for 2 weeks and THERE'S ONLY SIX OF US!! On one of the days Billy teaches us each INDIVIDUALLY for the whole day where we light a set whatever way we want and Billy's literally standing right next to us while we work with his personal gaffer. You can't pay for this kind of teaching!

Cinematography graduates include Roger Deakins, David Tattersall, Andrez Sekula, Oliver Stapleton, Alwin Kuchler, Cinders Forshaw, Sue Gibson and Nina Kellgren; all successful DPs in Europe or Hollywood.

I wish someone would tell me that sometimes.

I've got people with more than 160 years experience between them...teaching me!

Have you got the guts to try or are you going stay doing exactly what you're doing now for the rest of your life? If you've really screwed up your life already by not becoming a successful lawyer or dentist and all you're doing is crappy corporates...what have you really got to lose?

...oops, yet again I've forgotten your contempt for the English cameramen in the BSC.

Have you got the guts to try?

http://www.nftsfilm-tv.ac.uk/apply/Applica...cationForm.html

All there for the taking if you have a dream and just a little positivity...

:P

Morgan Peline · February 1, 2005

Sorry to go off subject a little...

I wish someone would tell me that sometimes.

Phil,

...You could always try to get in to the NFTS, I guarantee you that there will be an experienced mentor there to give you an honest critique of your work...if the school is as useless as you say, you should be able to get in easily! You don't have to accept the place if they eventually offer it to you.

Go on I dare ya! ;)

Send in an application form and your reel and see if you manage get to the final 3 day selection process. And then if you still think it's a waste of time I won't ever say anything again when you dis some of my teachers.

We shoot on 16mm very often which I know you want to get in to.

....And MiniDV, DigiBeta, HDV, HD and 35mm.

....And we've just ordered an £500,000 telecine machine for the digital post-production course. The intention is that eventually all our final year 35mm films will go through a DI.

We have a fully functional studio, where they used to use shoot features in the 60s, and we have loads of fully professional studio and location lights as well. We also have an in-house gaffer and camera technician who will build you anything you want.

All UK residents get £4000 maintenance grant, whilst many get an extra £2000 to £4000 scholarship to pay for tuition...all you have to do is get in and ask nicely!

At the end of the year, after we've been taught by Brian Tufano BSC our head of studies (Trainspotting, Billy Elliot, East is East, Last Orders and additional photography on Blade Runner), Paul Wheeler BSC and Sean Bobbitt, all experienced cameramen who have shot features and documentaries in the UK and Hollywood (Brian lived and worked in LA for 11 years), we get taught by Billy Williams BSC (Ghandi, On Golden Pond) for 2 weeks and THERE'S ONLY SIX OF US!! On one of the days Billy teaches us each INDIVIDUALLY for the whole day where we light a set whatever way we want and Billy's literally standing right next to us while we work with his personal gaffer. You can't pay for this kind of teaching!

Cinematography graduates include Roger Deakins, David Tattersall, Andrez Sekula, Oliver Stapleton, Alwin Kuchler, Cinders Forshaw, Sue Gibson and Nina Kellgren; all successful DPs in Europe or Hollywood.

I wish someone would tell me that sometimes.

I've got people with more than 160 years experience between them...teaching me!

Have you got the guts to try or are you going stay doing exactly what you're doing now for the rest of your life? If you've really screwed up your life already by not becoming a successful lawyer or dentist and all you're doing is crappy corporates...what have you really got to lose?

...oops, yet again I've forgotten your contempt for the English cameramen in the BSC.

Have you got the guts to try?

http://www.nftsfilm-tv.ac.uk/apply/Applica...cationForm.html

All there for the taking if you have a dream and just a little positivity...

:P

February 1, 2005

Morgan,

Your last post made me feel like Homer Simpson watching a Duff Gardens TV commercial- Charlie Bucket needs that golden ticket!!

What's the interview/ 3 day selection thing like? It must be heart-stopping - do you see a lot of really good people get dropped? And what do they base selection on?

Some idealism for Phil to aspire for ;) :

Photographed by Arthur Ibbetson, BSC :)

Guy Meachin · February 1, 2005

I was looking at the Cinematography Course at the NFTS, what would I have to do in order to stand a good chance of getting a place, or scolarship? I can't really see a way of breaking into film other than doing this course. I've had a fair amount of experience on paid short films and I make my own stuff regularly. I've never worked with film before other than super - 8 and there's little chance of me learning it elsewhere, any advice would be much appreciated!

Guy

Phil Rhodes · February 1, 2005

Hi,

> what would I have to do in order to stand a good chance of getting a place

About £100,000

Phil

Morgan Peline · February 6, 2005

Unfortunately, I can't be too forthcoming as I don't know if my teachers would be happy or not for me to talk about this. Suffice to say that you do some lighting and directing on 16mm and then discuss it. They want to see if you are natural story tellers and if you can work in a team.

Every year they have over 120 people apply for cinematography, they interview 24, then take 12 through the three day workship where they choose 6 at the end of it. Last year I tried to get in and failed. I was short-listed, so presumably I came number 7, I wasn't a happy teddy that year though I did manage to get into AFI.

The most important for them is that you have to be a story teller. They don't actually need loads of experience as long as you have something they can develop. Send in your reel and fill in the application and see what happens.

I would still try to get as much experience of shooting as possibel if I where you.

The school mantra is something like 'above all we are story tellers!'

Actually the school fees are £4,100 a year for EU citizens. As I live in the UK I get £4000 a year maintenance grant, so technically my school fees work out at £100 a year. Yes, I will most likely spend £30,000 - £40,000 on living costs over the next 2 years but hey, I'd rather put it on the line/

£100,000?